Razor



E. GAGNAN Nov, 156, 1954 RAZOR Filed Oct. 16, 1951 ifonneeyu* UnitedStates Patent() l 1 4 t 2,694,253 '1 RAZOR v Emile Ganan, Montreal,Quebec, Canada lApplic'atiom'i October 16, 1951, Serial No. 251,472Claims priorlgity, application France January 16, 1951 11 ,Claims. (Cl.30-43) The present inverition relates to a razor to be operated manuallywi out the use of an electric motor or other driving mean A few raz rsof this general type have already made their appear ance but their lowefficiency is such that they cannc be compared to electric razors.

These. r ezors include cutting means placed behind a perforat ed screenwhich is applied to the skin.

Gen drally, they coniprise a drum which rolls on the slginfovercutting'means. No special means are usually provided to guard thelateral edges of the drum while still leaving it exible enough for verygood contact with the cutting means and yet protect the skin from theedges of the drum which is sharp, particularly when the screen is thin.Generally speaking, however, most such razors embody a drum having endrings for actuation, reenforcing or skin-protecting purposes.

Furthermore, these devices use a perforated drum which has an endlesscontinuous surface and thus are hard and expensive to manufacture.

In some apparatus with an alternating movement, this inconvenience hasbeen remedied by using a free flat flexible screen under a rigid frame.The efficiency of this type of razor is relatively low because of thelimited movement possible. v

The present invention has been conceived to overcome the disadvantagesnoted above and, thus, its primary object may be stated to reside in theprovision of a razor of the character described which is efficient andan improvenient in the art of mechanical razors, or dry Shavers.

Another important objective of the invention is the provision of ashaver of the character described which is operable to function in acontinuous movement, or in relatively lengthy alternating motions.

A further object concerns a manually operated shaver embodying aperfectly free perforated screen, quite thin, and fully protected so asto prevent cutting the skin of the user.

Still an important object contemplates a shaver so constructed thatdismantling and cleaning can be easily and quickly effectuated foroptimum sanitation.

Another object envisages a shaver of the character described which isinexpensive and yet rugged and of long life expectancy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outfurther, or become apparent, during the description to follow.

The present invention is embodied in a razor having the following basiccharacteristic. It includes a fixed body on which blades are mounted. Acurved-flexible band-like screen or grill is mounted to surround thebody completely, or substantially completely, and to ride on the edgesof the blades. On at least one side of the body is mounted a lateralguard which extends above and overlaps the edge of the screen to providea sliding space between the guard and the body, in which space the edgeof the screen is adapted to move.

As an example, and for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment ofthe invention is shown in the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the razor, or shaver, in operativeposition;

Figure 2 is another perspective view of the razor but with its cover inpartly-removed position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the constitutive elements of theshaver, in their approximate relative position and shown in theso-called exploded manner;

Figure 4 is a vertical section transversely through the medial portionof the razor, such as along line 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the razor, shown with the side plateremoved, and

2,694,253 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 body of the shaver, which body isconstituted of parallel,`

spaced plates 11 having holes for mounting over supporting rods 13. Thecorrect spacing between the plates is achieved by spacers, or sleeves,14 press-fitted over therods and between the plates. Thus, a rigid unitis provided for holding angularly inclined cutting blades 1S mounted inslots 16 cut in the upper portion of the plates. (See Figures 3, 4 and5.) Although the body 10 has been shown in Figure 3 as a composite, itis clear that it may be made equally Well in solid form. As a matter offact, this is exactly the type of body shown in Figure 6.

The blades 15 have one cutting edge only and, actually, are razor bladespresently available on the open market. Said blades are positioned inthe slots so that their cutting edges are perpendicular with the sidesof the body, or plates 11 thereof in Figure 3', whereby a supportingarea is constituted over which the exible screen will be displaced.

The screen 20 is a thin closely perforated lstrip adapted to surroundthe body completely, and to ride over the blades 15. In practice, saidscreen may be .made of steel and preformed to assume the natural shapeshown in Figure 3, that is: the ygeneral configuration is curved, themeeting ends being given a roll inwardly for better contact together andthe blades when in overlapped position. Said ends may be skewed, also,as shown in Figure l.

The sliding path of the screen, around the body and blades is defined byside cheeks, or plates, 21 slightly larger than the body 10 with mountedblades, or plates thereof, one of said cheeks being permanently securedto one end of the rods 13, by riveting at 22 for instance, said fixedcheek being spaced from the adjacent -plate 11 by spacers 14. The othercheek is removable, for dismantling the shaver and, for that purpose, issimply held in place at the ends of the rods 13 fitting in the holes 12of removable cheek 21 (Figure 3). Spacers 14 are used also to positionthe removable cheek 21 with respect to the body 10 and maintain, betweenboth cheeks, the proper spacing necessary for free running of the screenedges around the body. v

Tt is again noted at this juncture that the main characteristic of theinvention resides in this free running of a thin perforated screenloosely around a body and between lateral cheeks, the side edges of saidscreen being additionally guided along a proper path around said body bymeans of a guard flange on the edge of the cheeks.

Such a ange 25 isclearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, formedright-angularly with respectto the plane of the cheeks and adapted tooverlie the outer margins of the screen 20, parallel thereto and atasmall distance therefrom. Consequently, between each flange andthe bodywith blades there is defined, bounded by the side cheeks, a track orrace in which the flexible, free, perforated screen is adapted to runaround the body.

Said guard, therefore, has the dualfunction of guiding' the screen as itfreely moves and, also, protecting the skin of the user from contactwith thek sharp edges of the screen.

The shaver is completed by the addition of removable means for holdingthe removable cheek 21 in place; thishair and, generally, forcleaningthe razorby blowing The engagement, of course, shouldy be suiiin `may`be made in the.

therethrough or wetting under the water tap. This wetting' is obviouslypermissible if the shaver is madeA of stainless material.

The shaver shown in Figure 6 is a smaller embodiment of the inventionvin cylindrical: arrangement, thatl is; the screenl is displacedl alonga1 circular path around the body 40 and over the blades 4'5 secured at;an angle therein. The side' cheeks 41 are also circular and inthe formof discshaving the'- guard flanges 55. As described previously in`connection with the guards 25, the circular guardsy 55 have no'connection whatever with the screen 50' and, furthermore, are actuallyspaced from the body and blades to provide the guiding race for saidscreen. The cheeks 41 areaxially apertured at 42 to be locatedconcentrically with the body over shoulders 44 formed at the endsthereof.

The cheeks are heldf in' movable, or lxed position, by thel slotted arms52 of ak yoke 51, the slots of said arms fitting over the squaredVbosses 43 of the body 40. Except for the shape-of 4the body4 and screen,the Working principle and operation of the shaver of Figure 6 are thesame as for the" shaver of Figures l toy 5.

ln operation, the shaver is held between the thumb and lingers (the-sidecheeks 21 or arms 52 of the yoke) and the screen pressed on the parts tobe shaved. A continuous, or alternating, movement imparted to the shaverwill cause a corresponding movement of the blades under the screenwhich, in frictional contact with the parts to* be shaved will beldisplaced relatively to the blades. It is the shearing action betweensaid blades and the screenV that severs the hairs penetrating throughthe perforations of the' screen from the parts being shaved.

Obviously, the blades being inclined with respect to the plane of thescreen, it is necessary that the ends of said screen be positionedproperly relative to the blades. Otherwise, in one direction of movementthe underlying end of the screenY would catch under the blades; forpreventing. such an occurrence it is only necessary to overlap'the edgesin such a manner that said underlying end should point inthe samedirection as the blades. Thus, the leading edgeof said end will slideover the inclined blades, in both-directions, without encounteringdirectly theknife edge of said blades and, hence, without possibility ofcatching thereunder.

As stated previously, the screen must be free to move over the bladesandy around the body; as a matter of fact this freedom of movementinvolves even a definite looseness, permitting the screen to lie hatover the blades area and, even, to adjust itself automatically to thesmall level differences that may exist between adjacent blades.Consequently, this feature ofthe free and loose screen, guided by itsledges int'o a suitably shaped race is the improvement representing anadvance of the art. In the opening paragraphs of this description it hasbeen stated that the construction -of previously suggested razors, orShavers, necessitatedY a cylindrical endless screen which is diiiicultand expensive to manufacture, that is: such a cylinder requires grindingand machining a tube into a suitably thin structure.`

Obviously, such a continuous screen is perfectly adapted to be used withthe shaver of the present invention, provided it is made loose enough tomeet the objective noted, namely: freedom to be guided under protectiveguards. Naturally, however, there would be no point in using such'acontinuous screen because the cost of manufacture would be a deterrent.l

The advantages of p a shaver constructed asabove described are many: rstof all, it is an eilicient device that, in practice, has proven that itcan shave as close as any other mechanical razor. Furthermore, it can bemade inexpensively and in almost any rounded shape desired. Even insmall sizes, the shearing area can be made large enough to renderpractical a pocket and the like miniature devices. A,

Contrary to' some razors having special shearing means, the shaver ofthe invention is not painful in use and, also, cannot cut, abrade orotherwise injure the skin of a user.

Finally, it can be taken apart, in a matter of seconds, for cleaning andparts replacement purposes. Summing up, consequently, the shaver oftheinvention is a body of suitable shape carrying inclined cutting bladesand over which body and blades an enveloping perforated screen-is freelymounted. For locating the screen with-- respect to the body and blades,lateral 2de plates are provided which embody inwardly directed flanges,over lying the screen edges and lspaced from 'he blades and body, fordefining a race, or sliding space, in which the screen edges are locatedand protected.

Basically, therefore, the present invention is characterized by allexible screen loosely mounted around a body carrying cutting blades,said screen being adapted to be displaced under lateralscreen-edges-overlying guards. 'l

lt must be understood that various changes as to the shape, size andarrangement of parts can lb@ resorted to without departing from thespirit of the', invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

l claim:-

l. A razor of the type which includes a body, a number of blades mountedon the body, and a able relative to the body to shear whiskerspenetrating the screen in which, the body includes mea s for supportinga plurality of blades, guards connec ed to the body and overlapping: thelateral edges of th f screen" to form under the guards a sliding' spacefo said,

edges of the screen, the: screen being in the form :'titfgarl*F curvedband positioned about the body with its edges in l, said space andoverlyingA said blade edges in a position to slide in contact therewith.

2. A razor, according to claim l, in which the body comprises a solidblock of material, and said block is cut away to provide blade receivingrecesses.

3. A razor, according to claim l, which includes a cover enclosing thebody and guard assembly, said cover having'an opening at least adjacentto said blades.

4. A razor, according to claim 1, in which the over-all form of thebody` is cylindrical.

5; A razor, according toclaim l, in which the over-all, formv ofthe-body is cylindrical, the guard being rotatably mountedA inrelationship4 to the body.

6. A razor, according to claim l, in which the body' is substantiallyoval in over-allA cross section.

7. A razor, according toclaim l, in which the screen is discontinuousand its ends overlap with the inside end facingv the same direction asthe cutting edges.

8. A razor, according to claim l, in which the screen is discontinuousand' its ends overlap with the inside end facing the same direction asthe cutting edges, the overlapping ends being at an angle to the blades.

9. A razor of the type which includes a body, sidev guards secured tothe body, and a number of blades mounted on the outside of the body anda convolute flexible screen surrounding the body and held between theguards and adapted for movement relative to the blades, the screenbeingy discontinuous and having its disconnected opposite ends at leastclose together.

l0. A shaving device, comprising, a body including means for holding anumber of blades with their edges in substantially parallelrelationship, a screen movable With respect to said blades, guards heldto the body and having portions overlapping the edges of the screen toform between the blades and the guard a space for the movement of thescreen.

l'l. lnl a shaver having a body provided with projecting cutting bladesand a thin, llexible, perforated screen loosely and freely mounted tomove around said body and over said blades', the improvement consistingin guiding and protecting the edges of the screen under side guardsassociated with the body, said side guards extending above and overlyingthe edges of said screen, thereby dening' with the body and bladescutting edges a recessed race in which the screen is guided during its;movement relative to the body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,296,044 McClure Sept. 15, 1942 2,314,731v Nyhagen Mar. 23,1943 2,354,657 Arey Aug. l, 1944 FOREIGN APATENTS Number Country' Date532,450 Great Britain Ian. 24, 19441 880,947 France Jan. 1.1, 1943885,496 France l- May 3l, 1,9/4@`

